the path of life
by shodows-in-the-darkness
Summary: A young kakashi has arrived back from his last mission, to find out his new mission isn't what he expected it to be. also why is a young chunnin woman every where he seems to be in the village. KakashiXOC


The reason why

Kakashi winced at each step he took. The last mission had put a strain on his whole body, he wiped away the sweat from his dead arm he couldn't feel a thing. Being an elite ninja wasn't all it cracked up to be. He held his Anbu mask weakly as he entered the village. The sun beaming down on the broken village. It has only been six months since the demon attack, there was still a lot of work to do and every mission had to be done so the other nations would not attack or see the village as weak. The place was like a ghost town no one in sight. There was a chirping sound above the tired ninja. "What does he want now?" Kakashi groaned as he walked towards the Hokages office placing his red and white mask on his face.

As he entered the office it almost looked finished there was still construction but it must have been the most complete out of all the destroyed buildings. He knocked on the office door waiting for invitation "enter" a kind slow voice called. "You called for me sir?" there was no emotion in Kakashi's voice. "ah, Kakashi how was the mission?" the old lord asked "it went as well as it could have been" there was slight irritation in Kakashi voice all he wanted was to have a rest and have his wounds checked before his next mission, he felt light headed. "good, good" a smile formed over the Hokage's face "sorry for my rudeness lord Hokage but what is it you wanted?" "Oh yes, Kakashi, I need you teach at the school we have a shortage of ninja and you have what looks to me bad injures but not so bad that you should be off." The Hokage leaned back on his chair waiting for the reaction. There was a loud bang from the desk when Kakashi slammed his hands down "WHAT!! You can't do this the village needs all the ninja working on mission and I'M AN ANBU " "look, Kakashi you have done enough I need you to teach the students. You are allowed to train still but you aren't allowed to leave the village unless it's an emergency and you are needed, other than that you can relax" a small sigh escaped from Kakashi's mouth. "And that's an order Kakashi, take off you mask it's not needed" Kakashi did as he was told he removed his gloves before the mask. The Hokage's eyes widened when he saw how tired Kakashi really was. The injured shinobi placed his mask and gloves on the desk."I see, now I know I made the right dissection" the old lord chuckled. Before Kakashi could object there was a light knock at the door making both him and the Hokage look. "You may enter" the Hokage said after a small pause. The door opened. A young women entered she had shoulder length brown hair and gentle brown eyes she was wearing the ninja uniform but with an elbow length shirt; she was carrying a stack of paper. "Oh I'm very sorry to disturb you. I'm here just to give you these" her voice was quiet as her knock; she walked past Kakashi and handed the lord the stack of paper work. "Don't worry Kakashi was just leaving" kakashi turned back to the Hokage and nodded then he turned and glanced at the young woman before leaving. "I'm very sorry lord Hokage I should have come back later" she bowed her head slightly "don't worry my child I had finished speaking with Kakashi" the young women looked up to notice 3 objects "he left his things here?" she looked at the objects with a questioning look the Hokage leaned back on his chair and said "could you take them to him he wouldn't have gotten far" the young woman picked up the objects before bowing and leaving the office.

Kakashi turned the corner of the street heading back to his apartment. He looked up there was not a bird or a cloud in sight. _It seems everything is somewhere else today_. His train of thought was disturbed when he heard a voice calling his name. "Kakashi-san" he turned around and noticed the same young woman he saw in the Hokage's office she was holding something. _What does she want? _"Can I help you?" his voice was cold and emotionless. "You left your mask and gloves in the Hokages office and he asked me to give them to you"she held out the objects waiting for them to be taken. As Kakashi took the items he noticed burns round the young woman's wrists. "Thank you ...err..." "Oh I'm Okamura Kasumi." A small smile appeared on the young woman's lips, "well then thank you Kasumi-san" "don't mention it" Kasumi bowed before turning to leave before turning around again to walk the other direction she let out a sheepish laugh, "I live this way" her delicate finger pointed towards the other street and with that she carried on. A small smile formed over young man's covered lips. Before walking down the same street she had taken Heading to his home.

He opened his door and entered the small living area he glanced round before collapsing on the couch and fell into a deep dreamless sleep. By the time he had woken up it was beginning to get dark the sun was setting and the sky burnt a light orange. He walked into his bath room turned on his shower he striped and went in, when the water touched his skin there were surges of quick pains. He leaned against the cold tiles and watched the dirt and blood enter the plug and disappear. His mind was on his last mission remembering how he got each injury. Stupid mistakes he made _I should have done better. _The water had turned ice cold but he still didn't move his lips started to turn blue and his body was shivering. He got out and turned off the ice cold water. Wrapped a towel round himself. _I still feel light headed, I should eat something that should help I haven't had a good meal for a while._He walked into the dim kitchen hoping to find some food which wasn't past its sale by date, there was nothing not even bread. _Shit now I'll have to get something_. As he walked back to his bedroom he let out a sigh. He put on a black shirt, black pants and his mask. Just after 7 he left to go to the shops "I hope it's still open" he sighed once more before leaving for shop.

The grocery shop was still open, he pushed open the door and the smell of all the foods made his stomach grumble. The store was empty he couldn't see anyone apart from the owner. As he started to walk around trying to find something easy to eat and cook, he heard a cough "I guess I'm not the only one then" he whispered. As he got to the counter the other person had just walked up, _it's the woman from the afternoon what was her name again .....KASUMI that's it. _

"You two must be the only ninja in the whole village" the elderly woman said while packing Kasumi's things. "really why the two?" Kasumi asked her face showing that she was in another world. "well I'm here too if you turn around" Kakashi's voice was sarcastic as he answered the elderly woman looked at Kasumi as her face shot up and turned round a light blush forming over her cheeks, "Kakashi-san, I'm sorry I didn't know you were there, what are you doing at this time?" "well I'm buying something to eat and what about you?" he asked thinking he really couldn't care "well just some bandages, tablets and bread" as this was said Kasumi had picked up her stuff and left. _What a strange girl_ Kakashi walk up to the till and paid for his food. It was dark now the moon was full and the stars were bright there was a cold breeze as kakashi walked out the store, he noticed that Kasumi was kneeling on the ground _her bag must have broke_. As he walked past her he picked up one of her items "here, do you need some help?" he gave Kasumi her item. "Could you just pass me that thing over there" she pointed over to the bench she didn't look up her hair was draped over her face. As she rose from her feet to receive the object from kakashi she looked tired as if she couldn't care anymore. "Thank you Kakashi-san" she bowed before leaving. As she walked away Kakashi walked toward her until he was directly behind her. Kasumi turned around making him walk into her "Are you following me?" "Why would I follow you I also live this way" Kakashi walked past her "why haven't I seen you before" he asked while he was walking away from her. Kasumi started to walk with Kakashi into the dark night. "Well there's no reason for you to see me I'm a Chunnin and you're an elite, our paths never cross" Kakashi nodded in agreement she then turned her head so she wasn't looking at him "But we were in the same class in the academy" "really? But you don't look familiar" "I was the girl who always sat in the back, wore a hood, I left class early sometimes, most of the boys made fun of me" "Oh yes, now I remember, you were the girl with no voice then" this answer sounded more like a loud thought then a question Kasumi thought "was that the name they called me, it's not that bad could be worse" they walked the rest of the way in silence not an awkward silence, they was no need to say anything "well this is me, where do you live?" Kasumi asked when she arrived at her door step "I live...back...that...way" Kakashi pointed back down the street they just walked down "Oh I'm so sorry you shouldn't have walked with me" "you apologise a lot" Kasumi looked up at Kakashi another blush covered her face darker now "sorry..Sorry...Oh sorry... shit" the last word was a whisper. A smile came over Kakashi luckily he wore his mask "I hope you get some sleep Kakashi-san" the door lightly closed in front of Kakashi with that he walked back to his house.

Kakashi was woken up by the sun light streaming though his window he groaned in pain as he turned to move; as he rolled over he noticed a red stain on his covers._ The bandages didn't work then. It looks bad there's blood all over my night clothes and it looks like it was still bleeding._ Kakashi groaned again as he got ready to go the hospital. When he walked his body cried out for him to stop but he kept going he dragged his feet across the dirt. He sighed in relief when he arrived at the entrance of the hospital. The hospital had a few people there mainly civilians. "Hello, can I help you?" the young man at the desk asked "I haven't made an appointment but I need my wounds checked because there were bleeding last night" Kakashi answered as he moved towards the desk. The young man got out a clipboard and stated to fill it out "Of course your name please?" "Hatake Kakashi" "right Kakashi-san we'll be with you as soon as we can." The young man walked off with his information and the tired man went and sat down. It was silent in the waiting room all that could be heard was the ticking clock. "Pardon me I made an appointment" _that voice it's Kasumi-san why is she everywhere I go? "_yes of course please take a seat the doctor will be right with you" "thank you" Kasumi sat opposite Kakashi her head facing the floor _she's drenched and she looks like she's shivering I didn't know it was raining_ "Oh Kakashi I didn't know you were there" Kakashi jumped as he heard her voice. "I've seen you everywhere I've been lately are you stalking me?" kakashi asked "But I made an appointment two days ago and I was in the shop first, so all in all it looks like you're the one stalking me " Kasumi started to blush and a smile appeared over her face. Kakashi looked at the woman opposite dripping wet and shivering _she must be freez- _he thoughts were interrupted by Kasumi gentle voice "so why are you here a great ninja like you?" she giggled lightly "very funny, I'm here for the same reason I'm off, what about you why are you here if you don't mind me asking?" her smile dropped as Kakashi asked "same reason your here" she said bluntly. "Okamura Kasumi please" the young man said from the door way "that's me I'd better go, I hope you feel better Kakashi-san" "you to Kasumi." A few minutes later a short woman came out "Hatake Kakashi Please"

Kakashi and the nurse entered a small office it was white and smelt of medicine _I hate hospitals _the nurse gestured to the seat opposite her. "So tell me kakashi-san what's the matter with you" Kakashi sighed before he answered "my wounds from my last mission are still bleeding and I need to check if any of them are infected" "alright Kakashi-san could you show me the wounds" Kakashi removed his shirt to reveille bandages soaked in blood the nurse face showed it all. She carefully removed the soiled bandages to find three deep wounds on Kakashi's back. She started to clean them "We'll have to stitch these up" the nurse started to sew up the wounds. Another nurse ran in to the office "hey Airi have you seen Dr Hiroshi any where?" "Yes he went back home he wasn't feeling too well, why?" "Well who's taken his shift then?" The nurse called Airi stop sewing Kakashi and stood up and started to leave "he shouldn't have any patients today I'll be right back Kakashi san" " well he does her name is" the nurses voices faded away before the name was given and Kakashi was left alone. Ten minutes later the office door opened and the nurse came in "I'm sorry about that" she said "don't worry about it, is everything sorted out" as the nurse walked back to her seat she nodded "yes we had another doctor check ka...I'm mean the young woman" the nurse sighed "I feel sorry for that woman she must be in so much pain being" she stopped _she must have remembered I'm not meant to know. _" there we go all done, these need to be changed every three weeks for four months, here you go" the nurse handed him his shirt and opened the door for him to leave.

He walked out of the hospital and entered the rain that was heavy and cold within seconds he was drenched _well this is a great start to the day_. Kakashi started to walk down the dark, damp street. "I'd better go train" Kakashi sighed and looked up to the sky embracing the rain. "I don't think you should train if you just come out of the hospital" Kakashi looked back to notice Kasumi sitting on the bench she was looking at him with a slight smile on her face. _has she been crying, or is it the rain? _"well you shouldn't be sitting in the pouring rain?_" _"Ah, true, true but training won't be good for your body I'm no medical ninja but that's just common sense, unless you Anbu have some special justu." Kasumi brought her knees to her face before turning her face away from him. Her body was shaking all over. "You really should get out the rain because that's not good for your body as well or do_ you_ have a special justu?" "very funny but no I don't, I guess your right I don't want to die catching a cold" Kasumi rose to her feet and started to walk _what should I do I barley know her _"why aren't you on a mission?" _why did I say that idiot she need to get somewhere dry_ She turned around and look at the man before leaving "I'm on one, is that okay?" her tone sounded irritated "I'm at the academy so if you need anything find me their" _She's at the academy too is she stalking me....no wait does that make sense _"I'm their also" Kakashi looked round she was already gone.

The silver haired Anbu stood outside the academy _I haven't been here for years; I wonder how much its change. _As he walked into the school he heard the children laughing. After wondering the halls for what felt like 3 hours the man finally decided he was lost _how can I get lost in a school? I've been on missions easier than this. _"Can I help you?" "I'm looking for....I'm the new.....I'm here" the Anbu stuttered "don't worry I think I know where you need to go, follow me" He followed the man round the academy until they arrived at one of the classroom doors "I think this is you" the man knocked on the door. "hey I found your helper he was lost" the man let Kakashi enter and then left leaving Kakashi in the door way looking at the woman writing on the board "so you got lost" the woman turned to face the elite Her face turned from serious to shocked "Oh come on are you being serious your my helper even for me this is weird are you stalking me or something" Kasumi said the man looked at the chunnin in shock "It's not my fault I didn't want to work at the school" She began to smile at him when he heard his complaint "you might as well do your mission I'm guessing you have never worked with children, right I'll tell you now that these pupils are not Anbu and they have only done basic training so don't call them weak even if they are, don't"


End file.
